Kazakhstan intends to send an additional 1.2 billion cubic meters of water to the North Aral Sea by the end of this year as part of efforts to preserve the water body, Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Nurzhan Nurzhigitov told fishermen in the Aral district during a working visit to the Kyzylorda region, the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation of the Republic of Kazakhstan reported.
"We are implementing comprehensive measures to preserve the North Aral Sea. To this end, we have developed the second phase of a joint project with the World Bank, which includes the reconstruction of the Kokaral Dam to raise the water level and increase the sea's water volume," Nurzhigitov said, adding that the authorities aim to increase the North Aral Sea's water volume to 34 billion cubic meters by 2030.
According to the ministry, 1.4 billion cubic meters of water have been delivered to the North Aral Sea via the Syr Darya River since Oct. 1, 2025. During the current irrigation season, water is being released into the North Aral Sea at a rate of 40 cubic meters per second.
The sea currently holds 23.5 billion cubic meters of water. Compared with last year, salinity in the North Aral Sea has declined by an average of 10% to 7.9 parts per thousand. During the first half of 2026, 4,200 metric tons of fish were harvested from the sea.
According to the World Bank, the 13-kilometer Kokaral Dam was built in 2005 with its financial support, helping raise the water level in the North Aral Sea and reduce its salinity by nearly half.
